#I also especially wanted to have Kalim shine; he's a good big brother!

[yuus-sentient-teddy]

"You're Staying Here." Part 2

Part 1

((I started writing this in December 2023 and it's finally finished five months later ;w; Thank you to everyone who has shown interest in this story! I sincerely hope you enjoy part two!))

Tag list: @luminisciel

'Of course it can't be that easy to forgive,' he thought bitterly.

"I know you're changing. I've seen your progress and I'm happy you're becoming better, but. . ." Yuu's head lightly shook side to side, face apologetic.

"Sometimes, whenever someone looks down on me for not knowing basics in magic, I remember when you called me inadequate for not having 'proper' education and making it sound like my parents were lesser for being magicless. The way that person talks and looks at me are too similar to the way you talked and looked. It's like they're refusing to see me more than what I don't have."

"Even after we saved you from your Overblot, I kept thinking you still thought of me and my family that way until you told me that I was an honorary member of Heartslabyul and showed that you like hearing me talking about my family. I do like hanging out with you. It's just that your face and words are something I can't not remember no matter how hard I try."

It was like Riddle got punched again. He felt as though he lost his breath and footing; he couldn't form any words. He had caused so much distress to members of Heartslabyul dorm during his reign as dorm leader, and he worked hard to rectify it. The efforts extended to the Ramshackle Prefect, from offering to help them with their studies to inviting them and Grim to Unbirthday Parties. Though it was awkward in the beginning, Yuu never once was unkind to him. That was why he felt sick learning that his past self left such a terrible and strong impression.

"Azul."

He swallowed, having an inkling of what they were going to say.

"I came to this world with nothing," they said. "I have no one to support me if something happens. Ramshackle Dorm was my only shelter and you had the audacity to take it away. Do you know what that's like?"

Their voice rose. The apologetic feelings they had for Riddle was absent for Azul, instead being replaced by hurt and exasperation.

"The headmaster is probably the closest to parental support, but he wasn't going to hesitate to let Grim and I starve if I didn't fix something you caused and he could've easily fixed."

Someone murmured a dumbfounded 'what?' while Azul nervously adjusted his glasses. "Sure, he could be nicer and a hell lot more competent, but you at least could have been decent and used something else for collateral or--I don't know--let me still live there while I ran your stupid errand of stealing from a museum? Did that ever cross your mind or were you just thinking how great it was that someone who can't even fight back--someone who could also get into deep shit for not having an identity in this world--was doing your dirty work? You even sent Floyd and Jade to make sure I wouldn't win--and let me remind you that Ramshackle is literally one of the only things I have in this world!"

Azul felt his cheeks burn. On either side of him, the Leech twins were quiet. He didn't dare glance to see how everyone else was reacting, he had a feeling what their expressions were. He could even feel the burning stares if he let his mind linger too long.

He wasn't sure how he was going to respond. He was already caught off guard by what Yuu revealed earlier and feeling a little guilt for having a hand in their rough experience in Night Raven College. The thing was, Yuu had never expressed any discomfort being around him--although, he was starting to wonder something.

He noticed they made a certain face whenever he brought up anything related to his contracts: a half smile paired with squinting eyes; what seemed to be part amusement, part feeling of being tired but still wanting to hang around. Had he misread that as a friendly expression? Was it actually discomfort? Disgust?

But that seemed to be the only outstanding thing. They sometimes sought him out to get his opinion on something or have long, pleasant chats. He still remembers the encouraging words they gave back in the Atlantica Memorial Museum all those months ago. There was also that vulnerable moment when they asked how he managed to deal with bullies.

So what about what they just said? From how much anger was in their voice and the gathering tears in their eyes, he wondered if their anger towards him had been bubbling just underneath the entire time, making itself known whenever he was around. If that was the case, then did that mean their friendly interactions with him was just them trying to get over their anger?

Or were they forcing themself to like him despite the grudge, finding that his expertise and skill sets were worth tolerating him?

The thought made his chest ache. He really thought he and the Prefect of Ramshackle were. . . were something like friends.

Jamil felt cold when Yuu's eyes turned to him.

"Let me ask you something, Jamil. Did it ever hit you that I might have been at my limit by the time winter break came around? You of all people should know how debilitating exhaustion can be."

"I was looking forward to sitting in front of the fireplace, have some hot cocoa, and chat the night away with the Ramshackle ghosts and Grim. You know, get a break from the chaos of the school and have some time to get back my sanity."

"But then you dragged me into a coup--and if only it was as simple as that! Get put through a training camp from hell and forced to march in a scorching desert and get searing sunburns? Watch other people suffer the same things and be powerless to help? Get hypnotized and make a choice I didn't want to make and become a hostage in an unknown dorm? Sure, why not!" Yuu threw their arms into the air. "It's not like I wasn't having an awful enough time in this damn school!"

Jamil knew he would be next at some point. He didn't blame them for being angry at him, not after all they've been through, so when he saw movement in the corner of his eyes, he said, "Kalim, you don't have to say anything."

"But--"

"Just drop it. This shouldn't be a surprise anyway."

"Were you going to say how Jamil has been working to make up for his actions?" Yuu asked tersely. "Kalim, I know what he's been doing, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven him for the shit he pulled!"

"No, no, it's not that!" Kalim said. "It's just that you're usually an open person. I'm wondering why you didn't bring this up with any of them sooner or even to us."

"I can't imagine how hard the school year has been for you. Getting pulled away from your home suddenly, having to get used to a new world, and being bullied. You've been angry and hurt for a long time, and I'm so sorry you've been feeling that way."

"It's great that you made many friends along the way. Despite the shaky beginning, I've seen you smiling and having a great time while hanging out with us here! And I haven't heard of any major disagreements. That includes with Jamil, Azul, and Riddle."

"All of us are your friends, Yuu, and we want you to be all right. It should be okay to share whatever has been bothering you. The last thing anyone wants is for you to be super uncomfortable or burdened by feelings of hurt and sadness."

He wasn't accusing Yuu of anything. He just wanted to understand them, and it was crystal clear from the way he spoke. Now that they thought about it, perhaps that little bit of sadness in his eyes was because the situation was kind of similar to his and Jamil's: Jamil never told Kalim about what he was dealing with and his wounds festered until they became fuel for his Overblot. For Yuu, it wouldn't culminate into anything that serious, but Kalim would want to help all the same.

They could have cried again from the blatant concern for them.

Finding their voice, they said, "Whatever happened is in the past. I don't see the point in bringing up things we want to move on from. I could either cling onto anger and have high blood pressure every time I see certain people, or I could let bygones be bygones and let you all learn and grow from your mistakes."

Then it hit them and they looked down guiltily. "Except I went against what I said just now and talked about stuff from the past."

"That's because you're still hurting. It's not good for you to continue like that and who knows what it might do to you if you don't talk about it," Kalim said.

"You also can't force yourself to be okay," Ace added. They didn't say anything.

"Yuu, if I may ask," Azul said, "have you been pretending to like being around us?"

They blinked, a little surprised. Their head shook a little, side to side. "No. Where did you. . ."

They shut their eyes and sighed deeply. Then, haltingly, they admitted, "Sometimes I just don't want to be in the same room as any of you."

Riddle felt his heart break a little and Azul inhaled sharply through his nose, like a gasp. Jamil's shoulders sagged and he looked down. And the rest wondered if Yuu had felt the same with them.

For some, it was kind of understandable: there would only be so many interactions before you want to be with someone else (but they will say it stung that Yuu felt so repulsed that they wanted to get away from them). For others, they either didn't want to entertain the thought or had entertained the thought and felt their soul get brutally crushed.

"But here's the thing." Yuu spoke louder. "All of us are dumb and stupid and young, and sometimes selfish as hell. But overall, you guys aren't that bad and I do like hanging out with you all. I really do. I just wish the terrible things that happened didn't happen." Then, to themself, "And I didn't have to bear with it."

"What about the Overblots? Did they also affect you?" Jamil asked.

"Yes, but you all weren't in the right state of mind when they happened and I don't think it's fair to fault you guys for whatever you did while in that state. That goes for the rest of you, too."

Yuu rubbed the back of their neck, looking down. "But if I'm being completely honest, I've had night terrors that sometimes woke Grim and I up from me screaming."

"Ah--" they waved their hands frantically--"you don't need to worry, though! I already talked to the counselor about them. Heh, you should've seen his face when I came in telling him about the seventh Overblot and the dreams from it. He was actually ready to give the headmaster a piece of his mind. 'You shouldn't have to go through things like that!' he said. Come to think of it, that was pretty unprofessional, so kudos to me, I guess."

"Yuu, that's. . ." Epel trailed off, a little concerned.

"I know. It's terrible. At least I got some good techniques for managing nightmares."

They slowly sighed. "I think that's all from me, although I really should apologize for airing out dirty laundry at a time like this. If no one has anything to say to me, we can go back to talking about saving Grim."

"Actually, there's something I want to say."

All eyes went to Jamil. "I've been meaning to tell you this after my Overblot, but I was waiting for the right moment to do it properly. Considering what we're about to face, this might be that moment, even if it isn't as formal as I want it to be. Yuu, I'm sorry for forcing you into a highly stressful situation when you needed to rest, and for the way I got you involved. You didn't deserve to go through the ordeal, especially when an Overblot occurred."

He bowed deeply. "I don't expect you to forgive me, but just know that I'm sorry for what I did."

"I'm sorry as well," Azul said. "For being insensitive to your housing situation and the vulnerabilities and difficulties of being someone outside of this world. It wasn't truly fair to you, someone who had to deal with power imbalances and the cruelties of those with power." He took off his hat and held it over his chest as he bowed.

"I'm also sorry, Yuu," Riddle said. "I'm deeply ashamed by my actions at the beginning of the school year and I'm sorry that it still hurts so much. I hope that one day that pain no longer torments you and no one ever looks at you like you have nothing to offer."

When he straightened himself up a moment later, Yuu looked like they were on the verge of crying.

"Are you okay?!" he asked, panicked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." A stray tear fell and Yuu wiped their eyes, then they smiled at each of them.

"Thank you, all of you," they said. There seemed to be a shift in their demeanor: somehow, they seemed brighter and their shoulders seemed less stiff, like a cumbersome burden had been lifted.

This look suits them better, the boys thought.

Finally, after a little more back and forth, Yuu was allowed to go with the group to save Grim--on the condition that they stayed far, far away. That was fine with them; they just needed to see for themself that everything would work out.

"Yuu."

They were trailing behind the group, looking through their bag. Apparently, Leona had been trailing behind the group too. "Yeah?"

". . . I'm sorry." They blinked, surprised.

"About wha--" The botanical garden and in Savanaclaw Dorm during the investigation of the mysterious injuries. "Is it for the first time we met and when you beat up my friends? I'm going to be honest, I almost forgot about them with everything happening."

"So I didn't need to say it?" He wasn't angry.

"No, no. I actually do appreciate it. It was pretty terrifying, when you said you were going to take my tooth, when I literally woke up in another world without knowing what the heck was happening. Not to mention, being at risk of another beat down when I was already dealing with threats and assholes."

"Yeah, yeah, you needed some mercy, which not a lot of people at school can give," he said.

"Yeah, but at least there are people in this school who know when to own up to something and apologize for it. So, thank you."

He met Yuu's smile with a smirk. "Sure, just don't mention it to the others."

They scoffed, smile still present. "Let me guess, to keep up the merciless princely front, right?"

They had just started walking when Leona called for them again.

"Hey. Earlier, when you said you thought we all didn't think you were worthy enough to stand beside us and had been tolerating you the entire time--don't ever assume that again."

Yuu was taken aback by his hard, pointed glare. "You're in a different position compared to your first day here, and everyone can see it. Even if they can't, it doesn't mean that you're not deserving of your place. If you need me to spell it out for you, here: you're worth all the effort you made to get to where you are now. Don't ever let anyone--even the people you idolize--make you forget that or make you lose your progress."

Their mouth had fallen open. "I. . ."

"Come on, I can see your friends worrying about you."

"Uh--" Leona had started walking and Yuu quickly matched his steps. "Thank you," they said.

He hummed in acknowledgment.

Yuu was alone on the battlefield.

No no no! How did that happen?! Yuu was hidden behind a column, last he saw. . . before getting hit with a spell that made him lose his breath.

Damn it!

"Prefect!" he cried. "Get out of there!"

Other yells joined his, but Yuu didn't glance at any of them. Not too far was Grim, shaking off the effects of a spell. His glowing blue eyes narrowed as they locked onto Yuu and a growl rumbled out of his maw. The Ramshackle Prefect met his gaze evenly and their shoulders were relaxed, like they knew he wouldn't actually hurt them.

Grim let out a dual-toned bark. They didn't flinch.

He lowered himself to the ground. . . and leaped.

"Yuu!"

"Prefect!"

Yuu felt warm air huffing onto their face. They slowly opened their eyes and found themself face to nose with Grim's snout. They looked at his eyes and found no traces of anger, which had been present throughout the fight with the NRC mages. That was when they realized he was whining like a sad dog.

"Grim?" they softly said.

"I'm sorry." There were two voices speaking simultaneously. The louder one was low and dark; the quieter one was much higher and a little nasally, exactly like Grim's normal voice. "I didn't want you to go and I broke the Dark Mirror. Now you'll never see your family again."

Yuu felt tears welling up in their eyes. The despair upon seeing the shattered frame and glass shards pulsed in their chest.

"I knew how much you wanted to go home, but I. . . I couldn't stop myself from blowing up. I wanted you to be next to me when I become a great mage. I didn't want to be alone again. But I ruined everything, and I'm so sorry."

Yuu gently touched his snout. "I know, and I know you didn't mean to ruin anything. But at least everyone is still alive. And while another way is being searched, at least you'll be able to keep me company in Ramshackle Dorm."

Big drops of tears slipped down Grim's face and created dark trails on his fur. His sobs echoed in the space around them.

He began to shrink. The chimeric parts of him--the hands, the snake-shaped tail, the wings--morphed and disappeared. The flaming mane extinguished. Very soon, Yuu was able to wrap their arms around him and he could burying his face into their shirt and cling onto them.

Their friends and upperclassmen gathered around.

"Thank goodness it's over," Ace said, sighing.

"I'm glad everything worked out in the end," Kalim said cheerily.

"Not quite. Grim still needs to face the headmaster and S.T.Y.X. for what he's done," Jamil said.

"He's going to need someone to be by his side when they happen," Yuu said, petting Grim's head. "I'm staying here for a while, so it'll be just like usual."

[britishassistant]

I accept your adopted reporter!Yuu au, but what if they ran away from the families and got adopted by Crewel's sister. Like, Yuu just gets overwhelmed with being starved and abused by Miss Rosehearts, always being pitied for not having magic like the rest of the Kingschoolar family, having to basically be bellow the Asim all the time, or be prepared to die in order to protec Malleus Draconia. So they just run away. It was such a cold night when they left their "home". They were shivering, trembeling, maybe from the cold or fear they didn't know. In the midlle of nowhere they heard a loud bark, then the sound became higher and for some reason it multiplied, the fragille child just gave up after hearring it, laying on the ground accepting their fate, when the dogs got near the kid they closed their eyes, only to be licked multiple times in the face, confused they made a decision to open their eyes. The dogs were just puppies, they signed in relief, the adorable fluffy balls started guiding the to a house, where there was a woman and her husband frantically looking for their dalmatians, when they look at the entrace of their house and see their small angels with a shivering child they immediatly take them in. Since the previous family didn't even bother to search for them, the lovely couple just adopt the child.

(Sorry for the long ask and bad grammar, English is not my first language)

-Lz

Thank you for the ask, dear anon!

(And don’t worry about it! Your English is fine! I love long asks anyways!!)

And oooh, there’s so much potential here!

Especially for Divus coming to visit one weekend and just spiderman pointing at experiment #Y26 sitting in the center of the living room in a puppy pile, like “how did you get here?!?”

While little Yuu is just bug-eyed at being pointed at by a stranger, hugging a puppy close.

Heartslaybul:

Yuu tries to get Riddle to come with them when running away from the Rosehearts household. Riddle refuses point blank. Running away would be against the rules. He can’t break the rules. Yuu breaks so many rules and gets so hurt...and Mother was so angry when she realized they’d broken the rules together on Riddle’s birthday. They have a fight about it, with Riddle screaming that Yuu should just go if they’re going, or he’ll tell Mother! That’s the last conversation they have as Rosehearts siblings.

Yuu sends back letters, constantly coaxing Riddle to join them, telling him he’d love the puppies, that he could eat all the strawberry tart he wanted, that there’s always room for one more in the Radcliffe family. Mrs. Rosehearts found the tenth one while Riddle was reading it. She tore it up, confiscated all his others, and destroyed any new ones that came in, telling Riddle to forget them, that he had no sibling. It’s telling that when kidnapped by Royal Flush, Yuu recognizes Trey first before figuring out who the supervillain now holding them hostage is. Riddle for his part is hardly able to keep his masquerade together when he realizes who was the one involved in the destruction of his precious fertilizer.

It’s a very awkward reunion, not helped by Chen’ya deciding to ‘save’ them at the most inopportune moment and dropping them off a balcony. Yuu makes an effort to stick their nose into Royal Flush’s schemes and get kidnapped by his minions more on purpose. They refuse to leave him behind again. Riddle won’t say he’s grateful for the clumsy attempts to make up lost time, but he’s more irritated when other supervillains keep kidnapping his sibling and putting them in danger, especially when none of them are suitable for Yuu!

Savannaclaw:

It doesn’t help when everyone tells Yuu that they’re not cut out to be a Kingscholar. Yuu tries their best, tries so hard, but it always feels like it’s not enough, never enough, when even Leona-nii tells them it’d be better if they weren’t in this family, if a powerless human like them just disappeared. So they follow his advice. It hurts them badly when no one even comes looking, when their ex-parents send them a letter later in life forbidding them from attending the celebration of Farena-nii’s first child, their nephew, saying they’ll have them arrested for trespasssing if they don’t turn down their oldest brother’s invitation.

They try to stay away from news of the Kingscholars, only exchanging brief letters and emails with Farena-nii, Leona hasn’t even replied to the first letter they sent him. They do well, becoming a fine reporter and shining on their own merits and hard work. They get embroiled with Royal Flush, becoming far more entangled with a supervillain than their common sense says is wise. And then they get kidnapped from Royal Flush’s lair by a rival, have a selfie taken with this new villain’s minions.

They recognize Leona-nii’s drawl as they’re set down in a cheap chair. He at least looks as rudely surprised as they do when the bag is pulled off of their head again. A very tense reunion, with accusations about abandonment and cowardice and not replying to letters being thrown back and forth. Ruggie, Jack and the other minions very much wish they weren’t in the room for this. Then Royal Flush and his Card Guards show up to rescue Yuu, and Leona decides now is the best time to play the overprotective big brother, much to Yuu’s exasperation.

Scarabia:

Yuu wouldn’t run from the Vipers just because they were constantly being told they were lesser. They could endure that, even as it slowly broke them. But if they failed to protect the Asim they were supposed to guard with their life? If they couldn’t stop him from getting hurt, and were deemed a failure as a bodyguard, not as naturally clever and cautious as Jamil and his sister? Then they would run, for fear of what the Asim would do to a failure of a servant who couldn’t fulfill their duty.

Jamil’s the one who tells them to, and has Kalim create a diversion so they can get out. He burns every letter they send back without reading them—they’re proof his sibling is alive, but also a potential way for them to be tracked down and cause problems. Yuu recognizes Snake Charmer within a minute of being kidnapped, because who else would do that tongue thing he always did when he was winning at mancala when they were kids? And then they realize to their horror who that means Water Boy is. Cue furious muffled whispering between the pair about why he would rope Kalim into becoming a supervillain, he can’t keep a secret to save his life, that it wasn’t his idea, Kalim just invited himself along for the ride, you know how hard it is to get him to quit when he’s set on something!

Kalim is just really happy to see Yuu-chan again! They’re alive! And okay! And look good! And not dead! He’s really, really glad they’re not dead! And feel so nice to hug now! Jamil, don’t they feel nice to hug now! Jamil feels many, many alarm bells going off in his head, and it’s not just because of all the other supervillains who are sniffing around his sibling.

Diasomnia:

The one family that lets Yuu go willingly and stays in touch with them after they end up with the Radcliffes. Lilia is upset when comforting Yuu about their persistent nightmares about being incapable of protecting Malleus, cleaning them up when the stress makes them physically ill and strains their previously excellent relationship with the young master and the other guards nearly to the breaking point. It’s breaking Malleus’ young heart to see his ‘younger sibling’ push themselves like this, only to hate themselves when they fall short. He wishes they could go back to before, when he’d walk around with them as a chubby little baby in his arms and all they worried about was whether he was mispronouncing the gargoyle terms in his architecture books.

Maleficent is also sad when Lilia reports that he doesn’t think Yuu’s cut out for the type of work the Silver and Sebek have taken to with such ease. She’s fond of the child, so she personally searches out the best family she thinks will take care of Yuu while being safe enough for Malleus to visit if he wants to. The Radcliffes are an unexpected gem, relatives of an old acquaintance who already has a vested interest in Yuu’s survival and who knows better than to cross her. Plus Malleus and Yuu both seemed very taken by the puppies, which scored major points.

Malleus, Silver, Lilia, and Sebek will often visit Yuu on weekends and certain holidays when they’re growing up. Anita and Roger need to stop Maleficent trying to pay for everything when Yuu’s growing up. Yuu is initially concerned when Malleus becomes a supervillain, especially when he takes the childhood nickname they gave him as his supervillain name, but does their best to support him. Malleus, for his part, is having the time of his life, enjoying his late night walks and tea parties with his sibling now they’ve both grown up. But his colleagues’ interest in the little reporter make him and his closest lieutenants worry about Yuu, especially when the love potion and marriage contracts come into play...

[yan-twst]

may i have platonic hcs w dorm leads? for a soft, fragile reader? (lesbians rise up !!) gn pronouns please!

hell yeah lesbians rise up once again!!!!! 

riddle rosehearts

riddle often likes to invite them over for tea whenever trey bakes

he also invites them to unbirthday parties often- but since he’s trying to be a bit more “lax” with the rules, they aren’t as... graceful as he wishes they’d be. he much prefers to have some relaxing teatime with his friend in the common room than to have all the heartslabyul students chattering and him trying to not be a spoilsport at an unbirthday party

he finds it quite cute how just... soft and gentle they are. no offense to his other friends, but chen’nya and trey are probably everything but soft. it’s honestly quite relaxing for him to just hang out with them

maybe it’s because of how nice and gentle they are, or just because he trusts them a lot, but he’s much more willing to open up and show his vulnerable side to them. 

he often takes them to see the hedgehogs and feed the little critters. usually, riddle would rather be caught dead than cooing and petting the little animals, but he knows that they won’t judge. the hedgehogs like them too!

he’s very much aware they’re rather fragile, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t worry over them. nrc students are... rough, to say the least, especially other dorms where discipline isn’t kept as strictly

he’ll most likely make sure it’s known that he’s close friends with them (after all, nobody  would dare mess around with the heartslabyul leader’s friend), and he’ll also frequently set up study sessions to make sure they’re doing alright

leona kingscholar

leona almost feels like his friend’s protector. sure, he’d never say it out loud- but even though he might call them a “meek little herbivore” and so, he deeply cares for them 

some would think leona’s gruff and almost careless attitude wouldn’t mesh well with their soft and gentle way of being, but they couldn’t be more wrong

... maybe he does need some softness in his life. he’s so used to being surrounded by people who either fear him or think of him as an inferior version of his brother, or by others who are similarly a bit rough in attitude: having a friend like them just brings some much needed softness to his life

unsurprisingly, his idea of hanging out is more often than not letting them hang around while he naps. it’s true he can sleep wherever, but there’s just something about falling asleep knowing they’re around that brings him peace. it’s probably got to do with being at peace in the presence of someone he trusts

leona is very, very much aware that they’re not very sturdy. he calls most people herbivores, yes, but with them he means it. he might play it off as just him being annoyed, but he does seriously worry

he’ll invite them over to practice magift in the mornings; of course, everyone in savanaclaw knows to treat them nicely and to not even try to rough them up, lest they get on leona’s bad side. he hopes that he can help them at least a little: sure, some magift practice won’t just make them super strong or anything, but it comforts him to know they can learn to hold up on their own

but it’s not like that’d be needed, really. leona doesn’t let anyone slide by and even as much as hurt a hair on their head. it’s shocking to everyone how the usually lazy lion seems to go out of his way to make sure they’re doing well and to make sure everyone knows if they try to mess with his friend, they’ll have him on their case

azul ashengrotto

azul almost feels a bit guilty sometimes. his business isn’t necessarily the nicest or the cleanest, and his reputation is unique to say the least. and on the other hand, there’s someone like his friend, who just radiates an aura of soft and gentle energy 

some people think that someone as sneaky as azul would only associate with someone as soft and gentle as them for nefarious reasons, but in reality, it’s not like that at all. azul would rather have everyone see his childhood photos than betray their trust; that’s how serious it is to him

he often invites them to the monstro lounge to hang around. they can do homework and get a snack, or if he’s free, he’s more than happy to spend time with them. floyd and jade like them quite a bit too (although jade and azul make an effort to not let floyd squeeze them because knowing the eel’s strength he might really do some damage), so it’s always a fun time

he wishes he’d had a friend like this when he was younger. someone with just such a gentle way of being and a soft demeanor, instead of the snickering and hurtful kids who threw pebbles at him and laughed. but at least he has them now, he reasons, and so he’s going to do his best to make the friendship last 

it’s also easier for azul to open up to them. oh sure, he’s close with the tweels, but they’re... well, they’re special, in their own way, and even if he trusts them he can’t just let down his guard around those two.

but with them- with his friend who he’s learnt to trust, who is so clearly simply a gentle person from the heart? azul finds it more easy to talk about the things that bother him, perhaps even to go as far as to let his octopus form be seen by them

azul is very much aware that they’re quite fragile, even for a human. he hopes nobody would swoop as low as to target them for a deal he made, but it’s impossible to know how people will react once they realize they’ve been tricked- luckily, earning azul’s trust means that they might as well consider the tweels their own bodyguards. all that energy floyd can’t put into squeezing them out of genuine fear of hurting them can be put to good use, after all

kalim al-asim

kalim is a naturally affectionate person, especially so with his friends! he’s always shining when he hangs out with them, and he’s always keen to get them gifts and whatnot. it’s a bit jarring sometimes, but it’s almost impossible to stop him- he just wants to make his friend happy, after all!

bonding time with kalim can be many, many things. he’s full of energy and always seems to have happiness in his eyes, and he always wants to share that emotion with his friend

sometimes it’s a magic carpet ride (a careful one, of course. he might have gotten out fine from crashing the thing against walls a handful of times, but his friend is a bit on the fragile side and if he hurt them he would be at a complete loss), and if he’s able to, kalim might even invite jamil along (jamil claims he was “dragged” to the ordeal)

because he doesn’t want to depend on jamil so much, he might ask them if they know how to cook. it’s not a big deal if they can’t cook- he can’t, either!- but he just appreciates the company in the kitchen, even if he knows whatever he makes will... probably not be edible, it’s just fun to spend time with friends like that!

he might be quite vocal on how they have to be careful. they’re the kind of person who bruises like a peach and seems to be easy to get hurt- they gotta be careful! luckily for them, he’s an expert in dodging hazards, so he’ll always make sure they’re doing ok

his energy and theirs balance out quite nicely. he’s usually very, very energetic, always almost bouncing with joy, meanwhile they have a much calmer and soft demeanour. in the end, this results in moments of fun followed by just relaxing and chilling; it’s moments that are prime for him to study or do homework, since just hanging out with them relaxes him so much

vil schoenheit

bonding time with vil is amazing. it’s skincare and self care galore; facemasks, soothing creams, burning pleasing candles that make the room feel like a spa. it’s soothing and relaxing and great for everyone’s skin

vil may seem to be a bit uptight, but he loosens up when he hangs around them. their gentleness is almost contagious, it seems; besides, he enjoys being able to unwind a bit

still, vil is truly always aiming high. he might ask them if a new experimental makeup look is fine, or he might give them samples of chapstick or creams for them to say if they feel fine on the skin. he trusts they’ll be honest with him, after all

sometimes vil may feel a bit like a nagging parent, reminding them to do their skincare and keep their clothes pristine, but that’s simply the way he expresses he cares for them. he knows they have great potential; he makes sure to tell them

vil appreciates their gentle and soft demeanor quite a lot. sure, he might not be the most soft spoken or nice person out there (maybe some would even call him sharp-tongued, but that’s not his problem), but god some students here are crude. it’s a breath of fresh air to just be able to relax with a friend like that

he finds their more delicate and fragile self to be quite endearing, in a way. since he’s surprisingly strong, he’ll often help them in things that need strength if needed

it’s a common occurrence for him to invite them on his morning jogs or walks. he likes the company, and he simply feels more energized when he can spend that time with a close friend like that- after all, he hardly has free time between his studies and his work, so he often takes every chance he has to check up on them and hang out

idia shroud

honestly he hasn’t had many friends in his life, so he’s very keen on trying to be a good friend

well, even still, most of the times, bonding time for him simply implies inviting them over for some video games or to show them the latest invention he’s made

they’re one of the few people idia doesn’t mind having in his room. usually, his room is his safe haven and he feels terribly anxious to have anyone in it- but if it’s them, he really doesn’t mind at all

as a plus, ortho also likes them a lot. in ortho’s own words, “anyone who’s friends with my big brother is my friend too!”. it’s charming to see the little robot get all happy when he knows that they’re gonna come over to hang out

idia also likes to teach them little bits about technology and magic. after all, it’s a rarely taught subject despite how useful it is- really, he’s probably the most qualified person in all of nrc to teach them! he feels immense pride to see his friend tinkering with electronics, even if the most they can do is maybe change the batteries in one of his inventions

because he doesn’t go out much, he’ll try to find different ways to spend time with them. sure, videogames are fine and all, but- well, he doesn’t want their friendship to be just always hanging out in his room... in a way, their presence helps idia get out a little bit more

he’s likely to invite them over to the board game club. azul is always happy to have more people over, since more people means more board games to play; and having the one other person idia is comfortable with around means that idia’s going to be more lively

he too is a bit more on the fragile side. he might whine about he absolutely despises P.E. classes, and how he wishes he didn’t have to do them, come on, are they even really needed? 

the fact they’re just... a soft and gentle person by nature is like warm soup for idia’s soul. being a naturally anxious person, he often overthinks and worries over everything, but they’re always there by his side to reassure him. it’s more helpful than they can imagine, really, and for that he’s eternally grateful

malleus draconia

they are so, so, so curious to malleus. he’s used to being feared, to having people fall to their knees by his mere presence, to hear whispers and rumours fly by when he roams the halls; and yet...

this... fragile little human just doesn’t seem to hold an ounce of fear. they approached him, befriended him, treat him so... nicely, despite him being feared and admired and them being a mere human. it’s... nice.

he will never not be amused by how they treat him so nicely and gently despite the fact he’s powerful beyond their comprehension. nobody would dare come up and ask the great malleus draconia if they can put a flower crown on his head, or ask to touch his horns, except them

and he treasures those interactions. he appreciates just how thoughtful they are- they listen to him talk on and on about gothic architecture, about the variations and functions of gargoyles, about abandoned buildings, all the things he likes so much he simply doesn’t talk about with others because one, he barely has people to talk to, and two, they’re... incredibly niche interests

in the same vein, malleus will often bring them things. old artifacts and jewels he’s hoarded in his lifetime, books that he thinks they might like, stories of the past, or even show them complex spells that serve the simple function of entertaining them

he’s overjoyed whenever he’s invited to hang out, even if it’s something as minor as hanging out in his friend’s dorm or out on a park outside school hours. he may try to act like he isn’t that affected, but lilia can attest he was so stoked at finally being invited he spent about a week planning exactly what to wear and how to act at his first invitation to hang out with a friend

malleus already sees most humans as weak and fragile, compared to the fae (and especially compared to dragon fae like him), but... well, his friend is just on another level. he often avoids patting their shoulder or using potent magic near them, just because he’s terrified of accidentally hurting them. sure, they might say he’s being too paranoid, but he’d rather be safe than sorry- they are his dearest friend, after all